


Drowning

by Whump-with-wren (Spannah339)



Series: Bad Things Happen [3]
Category: Iron Fist (TV)
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Brotherly Bonding, Drowning, Gen, Post Season 2, Water
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-10-18 08:07:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20635874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spannah339/pseuds/Whump-with-wren
Summary: Bad Things Happen Bingo square Drowning. Featuring Danny and Ward on their Great Asia Road Trip.





	Drowning

Danny glanced nervously down at the water below them as the small party stepped onto the boat. Beside him, Ward seemed to sense his hesitation, leaning closer to ask him softly “everything okay?” 

Danny nodded, a little unsettled by the slightly rocking boat. It wasn’t a large one - a small yacht off the shore of Hong Kong. He had to admit he was less than thrilled that the lead they were following had brought them here. At least it wasn’t a plane. Danny had been in enough planes lately. 

“I’m fine,” he said in response to Ward’s question. “I’ve just never been the strongest swimmer.” 

Ward snorted slightly, likely remembering how Danny used to panic and flail every time he got a little too deep in any body of water. Danny’s grin turned much more serious as the woman they were here to meet stepped forward. 

She was younger than Danny had expected, though still older than both he and Ward. Her hair was tied back tightly, her posture clear that she was confident and in control. The scar along her face told Danny she had earned that confidence. 

He bowed slightly, and Ward beside him stiffly echoed his movements. 

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with us,” he said, speaking in English for Ward’s benefit. She nodded, her expression guarded, but a slight hint of disapproval showing as he spoke. “We heard you might have information about…” he trailed off as she raised a hand, nervously noting the small circle of men standing around. He resisted the urge to ball his fists and wished he had insisted a little harder that Ward stay behind. He had known from the start there was a large chance this could go south very quickly. 

“I have heard of you, Daniel Rand,” she said in Mandarin, her voice even and commanding. Danny shifted his balance, recentering his chi in preparation for a fight, should it come. “You have been asking many questions - questions that should not be asked.” 

Ward glanced at him but Danny didn’t pay him any mind, focused on the woman before him. 

“We mean no harm - we only wish for answers,” he answered, slipping seamlessly into Mandarin. 

“The knowledge you seek is forbidden.” She stepped back, folding her hands behind her. “You have already been warned.” 

Her movement was so subtle Danny almost missed it - a slight nod of the head. Almost instantly, the circle of men closed around them and Danny balled his fists. 

“I take it that didn’t go well?” Ward asked. Danny snorted. 

“You could say that.” 

There was no time to talk - two of the men charged Danny and the world exploded into a blur of limbs, blood and blows. He was confident he could take the group - at least enough for them to escape - but Ward’s presence worried him. His friend didn’t have the training he did.

But he had no time to worry - no time to think - as the men pressed in close. They exchanged blows, Danny constantly moving, blocking, dodging, trying to ignore the pull to use a power he no longer had. 

A gunshot exploded behind him as he knocked one of the men to the ground. He glanced behind him, towards Ward. To his relief, Ward was the one who had shot the gun, another of their attackers lying motionless on the deck of the boat. Satisfied Ward was safe for now, Danny turned back to the fight. 

But even the slight distraction was enough for his opponents to gain the advantage over him. An unnoticed fist slammed into his chest and Danny stumbled back, gritting his teeth. He lunged forward, but a blow to the side of his head sent him staggering back again. A dagger arched towards his face and instinctive, Danny blocked the arm holding it, grabbing the attacker and pulling him close enough to throw him to the ground. 

He stepped back against the edge of the deck, breathing heavily, his head ringing. But before he had a chance to recover, a body slammed into his and for a moment that felt like forever, he fell backwards.

The world seemed to freeze for a second, and he could see Ward, gun raised, standing on the deck. Then the cold water exploded around him and his vision cut off. The arms around his waist loosened and he instinctively kicked at whoever had tackled him, separating them. He hung in the water, the sudden silence of the world after the noise of the fight a shock. 

Slow panic began to take hold as the thought of breathing came to him. He began to claw in the direction of what he thought was the surface, the murky water making it difficult to tell up from down. 

Finally, he burst to the surface, frantically gasping for air. A wave smashed into him, knocking him back into the murky silence, water filling his lungs. He tried again, panic becoming stronger, all the lessons he had been given as a kid suddenly gone. 

Once again, he burst to the surface, coughing to rid his lungs of water so he could gasp in the sweet air. But the waves were too much, his body too heavy to keep above the water and he was sucked under again, sinking into the depths of the sea. 

Again, he tried to claw to the surface, but it was getting harder. The water felt like it was dragging him down, his lungs screaming for air. 

_Ward. I have to help Ward._

He tried to force down his panic, knowing it wouldn’t help, and kicked strongly up, bursting into the cold air again. He gasped, but a hand grasped his leg and suddenly he was yanked down again. Precious bubbles of air escaped his lips as he cried out in surprise, kicking frantically at whoever was holding him. 

His foot connected, and he managed to loosen the grip enough to swim away. But he was frantic for air again, and again he tried to haul himself above the surface of the water. This time, however, he had been dragged down much farther, and the surface seemed impossibly far away. 

A muffled sound rang out above him as his kicks became weaker. He needed to breathe. He needed to breathe. He kicked, knocked around by the underwater currents, trying to reach the surface, trying to reach the air he so desperately needed. 

A hand grabbed his arm and he stiffened, trying in vain to pull away. He was hauled upwards and he burst into the air. He gasped, trying to refill his lungs, only to be stopped by a violent cough. Someone was supporting him, stopping him from sinking back again. 

They reached the wharf where it sunk into the sea and Danny was hauled onto the surface, still coughing and gasping. He collapsed onto the wood, lying on his back, enjoying just _breathing _again. 

Ward’s worried face appeared above him, helping him to sit up and rid his lungs of the last of the water he had inhaled. Ward’s hair was wet, sticking to his face. His lip was split, a black eye was beginning to develop and a trickle of blood rolled down the side of his face, but other than that he looked alive enough. 

Now that he wasn’t dying, Danny began to shiver, his wet clothes stealing the last of his warmth. He grinned up at Ward, trying to hide his shivers. 

“Told you I couldn’t swim,” he managed between chattering teeth. A grin broke over Ward’s face, mostly of relief. He stood, holding out a hand to help Danny up. Still shaking, Danny took it, knowing that movement was the best thing until he could get into dry clothes. 

“We’ll have to work on that,” he said, throwing an arm around Danny to offer him some extra warmth. Danny gladly leaned into his brother as the two of them made their way back to their hotel to get dry.


End file.
